Evgeny Kuznetsov, an active Instagrammer, made a media splash with this recent photo.

Kuznetsov has been the subject of some harsh criticism of late. The second half of the season hasn’t been kind to Kuznetsov as his team has struggled to score goals. During the playoffs, Kuzya had scored just three points in nine playoff match-ups (he scored nine points in twelve postseason games last year).

“I’m very disappointed and surprised. Why did he need to do this? I understand that he hasn’t been on his game as of late but he shouldn’t have done this to me. And especially to the Soviet hockey great Boris Alexandrovich [Mayorov]. Now it’s Mayorov’s job to analyze and he shouldn’t shut Mayorov’s mouth I think. I don’t think that Kuznetsov gained something with these words. Did he offend us? He didn’t offend me, but disappointed me very much.”

[Gimaev] is confident that his interview about Kuznetsov “wasn’t critical”. “I read it again. It was very supportive towards Kuznetsov, the only phrase was that “20 years is a bit too early”, but I don’t think it was offensive,” Gimaev said in a phone interview.

“I’m surprised and very frustrated,” – [Gimaev] continued. “I supported Kuznetsov in the difficult times and never said bad things about him. That’s why I was not very pleased with him telling me to ‘shut my mouth.’ I like Kuznetsov as a person and a player, I believe he’ll get better. I was first to talk about him when nobody ever knew that he exists. So it’s surprising that he said that.”

[…]

“I’m writing that off because I think it was because of emotions. I just don’t know what for did he say that. Zhenya needs to think when saying things like that and respond for the words. Instagram is public. Kuznetsov’s foes made it even more public and that’s a blow for him. It didn’t give him anything positive,” Gimaev concluded.

Both analysts are former Russian hockey players. Boris Mayorov, who played from 1956-1969, is a member of the IIHF Hall of Fame, as well as a two-time Olympic champion and six-time World and European Champion. Sergey Gimaev is a former hockey player (1974-1986) and coach. He is best known for winning Russian championships with CSKA and serving as the head of their hockey school.

For Americans, this is basically the equivalent of RG3 telling Joe Theismann and Terry Bradshaw to shut up.

“In Chelyabinsk, we have a tradition that doesn’t exist in other cities. The jerseys of Chelyabinsk hockey alumni (both active and retired) who won the World Championships are hung under the rafters of the Traktor’s home arena.”

In all fairness to Kutznetsov, Terry Bradshaw should shut up sometimes. He was right to criticise that goofball. I mean stick to football, sheesh.

Ned

Just because you played the sport doesn’t mean you always know what you’re talking about. See: Joe Morgan, Joe Theismann, Dan Marino, etc.

http://twitter.com/maxduchaine Max Duchaine

…Mike Milbury, Don Cherry, Pierre McGuire…

Jm799

At least he used the formal addresses.

Yv

Kuzzya would be great addition for Caps when he will get here, but he should learn how to react to media criticism, whether it is fair or not, otherwise he would be burnt or will burn himself by NA media and fans. Because of expectations he should be mentally prepared to be scrutinized in everything.

http://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud Slava Malamud

Why is it unfair to criticize a hockey team for raising a jersey of a 20-year-old, active player to the rafters? Seems like a stupid decision to me. Not sure why Kuznetsov would take this personally, if it’s directed at the team, not him.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/ Peter Hassett

When you lower yourself to leaving comments here, Slava, I feel tempted to start trolling the Sabres.

http://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud Slava Malamud

Do you kick puppies in your spare time, too?
But what am I doing? The King of Space has answered me! I’ll go gouge my eyes out now so they never gaze on anything else.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/ Peter Hassett

this is the king of space signing off

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com Ian Oland

I agree. This is a bizarre thing to take personally. He seems like he’s having his quarter-life crisis right now.

http://twitter.com/smgraff Steve Graff

This is a unique practice of Traktor’s, that makes Traktor more like a college basketball program (or a hockey school) than a professional team. Slava needs to check out the rafters of Comcast Center in MD sometime.

sean

After dealing with Sasha, I don’t know if I want to deal with another Russian head-case. And when/if he ever plays in DC, can we not sign him to a 30 year contract?

http://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud Slava Malamud

Not until America’s second-rate basketball competition starts being interesting to anyone outside America.